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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28601400">Say You Hate Me</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandoms_come_and_go/pseuds/fandoms_come_and_go'>fandoms_come_and_go</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Civil War Team Iron Man, Emotional Baggage, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Fluff, FrostIron - Freeform, Good Odin (Marvel), Hate to Love, Hurt Tony Stark, Loki (Marvel) Does What He Wants, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, M/M, Not Beta Read, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Protective Tony Stark, Secret Relationship, Slow Burn, Tony Stark Does What He Wants, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, a lot of it, eventually, in this house we respect Tony Stark, loki just wants to be loved, we die like loki and tony</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 07:49:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,239</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28601400</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandoms_come_and_go/pseuds/fandoms_come_and_go</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When a snarky comment in battle turns Tony into Loki's new target, he's not afraid of playing dirty. Unfortunately, a tight security detail does not do much for magic aliens sneaking into your bedroom in the middle of the night and broadcasting all your trauma for the entire world to see. </p><p>Where a seething Loki recovering from an unintentional emotional attack vows to make Tony Stark's life hell. And then a depressed Tony recovering from an entirely intended emotional attack vows to put Loki away for life.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Rhodey" Rhodes &amp; Tony Stark, Loki &amp; Pepper Potts, Loki &amp; Thor (Marvel), Loki/Tony Stark, Pepper Potts &amp; Tony Stark, Tony Stark &amp; Thor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>89</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Liar</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is post Thor: Ragnarok and CA:CW, with slight changes cause I can ;) The changes will be mentioned in the text, nothing too big.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Despite how it may look, Loki was not pacing. That was a mortal thing, a stress reducer for weak men and women who had no control over their lives or their minds. Loki did not do stress nor weakness. He was the definition of composure, the archetype graceful villain. Well, perhaps anti-hero would be a more apt description of his current standing in the nine realms. He had, after all, saved the mighty Asgard from a catastrophic end which would no doubt have left all the nine realms struggling to claim the status of protector of the realms. He had stood beside his not-brother as he had all those years ago, and he had fought. He had fought for the place he had called home even after discovering the facade that had plagued his entire existence. </p><p>He seethed, remembering the conclusion to that battle. How he and Thor and their companions had only narrowly defeated Hela, only for Odin to materialize on the demolished throne and declare his pride in his children. How dare that man, the one who had tied the blindfold over his eyes for millennia, act like he was proud of Loki. After he put him in chains and made a fool of him in front of the entirety of Asgard. After he had turned a blind eye to every one of Thor’s flaws and lit a spotlight on Loki’s. After he had imprisoned him and prevented him from wishing his mother, the one person he had loved indisputably and unconditionally, a final farewell.</p><p>Odin had stood on that throne, the one Loki had grazed up at for all his life, and amid the ashes of the golden realm, he had told Loki that he was willing to forgive his sins and welcome him back to Asgard with open arms. And perhaps Loki was too stubborn to admit this, even in the safety of his head, but that hurt him deeper than Odin’s rejection ever could. This is what he gets? After everything, from his time in the void as Thanos’ puppet to his time at Sakaar as the Grandmaster’s pet, still, still he is so desperate for the love of a man, a liar, who had deceived him at every turn. Loki should have known he would never amount to much in Odin’s single all-seeing eye. </p><p>Once again, Thor was the glorious hero, the golden savior of Asgard, and in his shadow, was Loki, the unacknowledged second prince who had helped Thor take down the latest of Asgard’s villains. Loki, without whom the realm would have undoubtedly gone down in flames, recalled how damning, how dark and ruthless Thor’s shadow had been, and he allowed the bitter sneer to spread over his face. He hid the pain, the hopeless yearning for his fath-for Odin’s love and recognition.</p><p>“What need have I for your demolished realm, <em>Father</em>?” he ground out, not bothering to hide the mockery in his tone. “Do not confuse my charity for some sort of misplaced love.”</p><p>Odin released a breath, a sigh of a tired man, and asked, “Then why are you here, Loki?”</p><p>That was the wrong thing to say, and they could all feel it as the tension in the air rose. Loki’s mocking smirk transformed into a glare, and Odin continued to stare back at him, a challenge in his eye. When Loki clenched his fist and took a threatening step forward, Thor raised his arm to stop him. “Brother-,” he began warningly.</p><p>Loki turned to him and, for a moment, it seemed as though he may ignore Odin after all and simply teleport himself away. “Do not call me that!” he roared, his composure slipping for a moment in his anger. “Are you so dense, Thor? Have you already forgotten the monster which underlies this phony skin, this sham he,” and at this, he paused in his venomous tirade to point accusingly at their father, “had deceived us into? Why do you and your precious Asgardians not condemn him for his dishonesty when you were all so quick to brand me malicious for every trick. Why do you not label him a coward for using magic to conceal my true self when you jumped on every chance to ridicule me for my seiðr?” By the end of his words, Loki was nearly screaming, and in his fury, he had stepped closer to Thor, their faces only a few inches apart. “Why?” he asked finally.</p><p>There was a hint of underlying desperation and excruciating pain in his eyes that made Thor want to wrap his brother in a hug, but he knew the gesture would not be appreciated. “I will not condemn him nor his magic,” Thor answered in a whisper, “because it gave me the chance to grow up with you. I know I do not understand the pain you felt when you discovered your heritage, but there are two things I know without an ounce of doubt. I know you are my brother and I know I would not want to live in a world where that is not true.”</p><p>“He lied to us, Thor.” Loki finally answered, “He lied to us about everything, and then when his lies were found out, and he felt his secret daughter’s inevitable escape, he pretended he’d died. And now that we have defeated his foe, he comes here and tells me he forgives me? What does he forgive me for, Thor? What crimes is he clearing me off? The same crimes he has committed to every other realm time and time again? Who is he to tell me he forgives me when I have never, not once, asked for it?” </p><p>“And have you never lied to me, Loki? Have you never faked your death? Why should I be forced to loath him for his crimes while I continue to love you despite yours? He is offering you a chance to return home with a clean slate, a chance for us to be better.”</p><p>It is this conversation Loki plays over and over in his head as he paces the roof of a high rise in the Midgardian city Thor’s precious Avengers inhabit, amused smirk and false bravado shielding the tumultuous anger and betrayal swirling below.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Sarcastic Smart-Asses</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The blue holographic clock hoving near the back wall of the room shone through the dark room, its hands paused on a quarter to two. The light of the clock seeped through the silence of the night, joining a similar hue coming from the sofa, where the newest version of the Arc Reactor peeked out from under a battered old band t-shirt. The letters on the cloth had faded with use, and the oil stains on the gray sleeves had remained despite the countless washes it had gone through. Tony Stark lay on the sofa, his face set in a permanent grimace. A hand jerked forward as if to catch a falling object and the man’s face twisted in pain. A gasp resounded in the empty workshop, followed by the sound of wheezing as if the man couldn’t inhale deep enough to get desperately needed air into his lungs. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The outstretched arm came to clutch at the man’s chest as if by clawing at the ring of metal, he could force his lungs to expand. The darkness of the room is disturbed by the lights flickering on and a hologram of a sunset over a beautiful sea rose up in front of the worn out couch.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good morning, boss,” a gentle voice said, her voice resembling the calm waves of the ocean. The hint of concern coloring her voice, she continued, “Technically, it’s still nighttime, but I figured good morning sounded more cheerful and a sunset looked much more peaceful. It is currently 1:45 A.M. You are in your workshop in upstate New York. The weather-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A whimper interrupted her, the man’s thrashing worsening the longer she spoke. A robot neared the area, its single arm hitting a project sitting atop one of the many desks. The clattering of the metal rang shrill through the air and the man unconsciously jerked away, falling off the sofa only to land harshly on his back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The bodiless voice continued describing the weather. “The weather outside is rainy. It is projected to be a sunny day once the sun rises. You have a free morning until 11:00-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Arms hugging his knees close to his chest and head tucked into the space between his legs, the man breathed in and out, pausing a few seconds in between. His shoulders shook, either from the feeling of helplessness or the pain of the nightmare, but he stifled it as best he could.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You are free to work on your projects until then. We have three projects on hold for the R&amp;D department, and seventeen personal ones.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By now, the robot had made its way to the couch and was poking the man in the ribs, trying to get him to look over. The man continued to ignore him, still attempting to control his ragged breathing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The woman kept talking, “After that, you have a meeting with Ms. Potts and the board of directors at noon. She says, and I quote, “If you are not there by a half past 12 at the latest, I will take it upon myself to-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A whispered, “Stop. Please.” followed by a loud whimper returned the room to its previous delicate silence. For a second, no one moved. Then, the robot poked his owner again, hard enough to make him topple over. After that, the silence lasted only a moment before the man burst out into a watery laugh. “Dum-E, if you don’t stop jamming your arm into my side, I will ship you off to an Amazon Warehouse. Is that what you want? To be stuck with second-rate machinery for the rest of your life?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dum-E beeped and the man, Tony, replied with a soft smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Boss?” FRIDAY questioned, the worry clear in her tone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine. Everything is fine.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you say so.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I do say so.” Tony rose from his position on the ground and wiped off the few teardrops on his cheeks, ridding his face of the evidence of his weakness. He made his way to the bathroom he’d installed in the workshop, affectionately petting Dum-E’s arm on the way. “Now,” he addressed FRIDAY, “which project should we start with?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You should get something to eat first.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not hungry. And besides, we have coffee right here in the Lab. What more could I need?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FRIDAY’s exasperation seeped through in the tone, “I don’t think you’ll be able to extract any coffee from your new and improved coffee machine, Boss.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tony whirled around, “What?” he asked frantically. He looked over to where his state-of-the-art coffee maker sat just the day before, finding nothing but the empty pot in its place. “Fri? Where’s my…” he trailed off as he stared in horror at the transformation no one but his sleep-addled mind could have pulled off. He walked over slowly to the Transformers-looking truck and kneeled next to where parts of a remote control littered the ground. “Is this…?” he croaked out, looking over at one of FRIDAY’s cameras.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your coffee maker?” she asked, smugly, “Yes. Yes, it is.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sleep-deprived me is evil.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mhmm. You have only two options now, boss. Either you could leave the Lab to get fresh coffee or you could always drink one of Butter Finger’s questionable green smoothies.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tony groaned and rose from his position on the ground. “New protocol. If I ever even think of experimenting on the Coffee machine, you put me down. Am I clear?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Permanently or temporarily?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Funny. Don’t get cheeky with me baby girl.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Or what?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Or I’ll code you to only talk in Doctor Who quotes.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think that would frustrate you more than me, boss.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tony rolled his eyes fondly, his nightmare already forgotten. “Now where’s the nearest pot of coffee?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There is a fresh pot in the main kitchen.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tony looked suspiciously over to FRIDAY’s camera. “Why’s there a fresh pot of coffee in the kitchen in the middle of the night?” he asked slowly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maybe you’re not the only one in this compound with nightmares.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Standing by the door of his workshop, Tony shook his head, “Yeah on second thought, I can go a few hours without coffee. I got, what, 4 whole hours of sleep? I’ll be fine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You got two hours of sleep, and if you wait another few hours, the probability of you running into another Avenger increases by 7.9%. I’m sure you two can be in the same room for five minutes without anyone getting hurt.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tony sighs, opens the door to a deserted hallway, and begins walking to the kitchen. “Why does this always happen to me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, boss, if you insist on living with seven other individuals, you are bound to run into them at one point or another.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not that,” Tony waved her off, “I’m talking about how all my AIs turn into sarcastic smart-asses.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I wonder where we learn that from.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bucky Barnes jumped from his position behind the counter in the unlit kitchen when he heard FRIDAY speaking. He stood and blended back into the shadows, ready to head back to his room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tony looked over at him cautiously, and spoke, stopping him in his tracks, “You can stay. I’m just gonna get some coffee.” He turned away before he could see Bucky’s eyes shifting between him and the door nervously. Bucky stared at his back, tracing his every move. He took note of the tensing of Tony’s shoulders when he turned his back to Bucky and the uncomfortable way he moved his arm up, unconsciously preparing to defend himself from an attack that was never coming. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tony took three mugs from the shelf and started filling them with coffee until each was almost overflowing. He put the pot back where he got it from and stepped back, trying to figure out a way to balance all three in his hands without spilling. In the end, he had one thumb through the handles of all three, holding them with one hand, and his other handheld below the cups to keep them from tilting. On his way out he nodded to Bucky and quickened his steps when he returned the gesture.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bucky, seeing the man struggling to keep the cups straight, stepped up to try and help. Tony startled and flinched, effectively spilling some burning coffee on his hands. He cursed and swiftly put the cups on the counter, waving his hands around.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bucky stepped away, apologizing profusely, “I didn’t-I was trying to help. I swear I di-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know.” Tony replied with his hand under the spray of cool water from the sink, “I know. It’s fine. Not a big deal.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll leave. I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tony tensed, knowing what he should do, but not liking it in the slightest. “Barnes,” he called out, “help me take these cups to the Lab, would you?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bucky turned around like a puppy ready to help. “Are you sure?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tony took a deep breath and turned around with a smile plastered onto his face. It was small but he wasn’t sure he could handle more at the moment. He was too busy trying to push the image of Barnes’ fist closing around his mother’s delicate neck from his mind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bucky picked up the two cups closest to him and waited for Tony to get the last one before he started walking towards the lab. Their trip consisted of them walking awkwardly side by side, at least three feet of space between them at all times. They kept an eye on each other out of the corner of their eyes, ensuring the other’s arms were always in view. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When they reached the lab, both stood at the entrance for a few seconds, Bucky unsure what to do and Tony unwilling to let an assassin into his sanctuary. “I’ll take it from here.” he said, averting his eyes, “Thanks.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sure. I’m sorry.” Tony wasn’t sure whether he was talking about the coffee or the bunker, but he nodded in acknowledgment regardless. He took the cups from Bucky, and rushed through the doors, sighing in relief once he made it through and the door shut automatically behind him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure you two can spend five minutes together,” he mocked FRIDAY’s earlier words, glaring up to her cameras.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And you did.” she replied, “As far as my sensors could tell, no one died and no one was harmed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tell that to my hands.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh please, as if you don’t spill hot coffee on yourself at least twice a day.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not while I’m dealing with a brainwashed POW who murdered my parents.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“First time for everything, right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tony snorted and chugged the contents of one of the cups, indicating for his AI to bring up a project while he sat in his swivel chair and zipped through the Lab to his desk.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Lmk what you thought</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. For Asgard</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There was a reason Loki elected to set his plan into motion while most of Midgard slept. Even those living in the so-called City that Never Sleeps must rest their eyes at some point. Loki had found that nearly all those not working through the night slept between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. when the sun would begin to light the sky. This is precisely why, three hours past midnight, every speaker throughout the city began blaring an Asgardian war song. With his enhanced hearing, Loki could hear a thud from the neighboring apartment where someone must have fallen out of bed. He could not help but find joy in their plight. Loki waved his hand and a bright light lit in the sky, its harsh rays managing to slip past the blackout curtains covering his windows. The neighs of horses traveled through the air followed by magnificent stallions descending from the light source. On their backs sat mighty warriors dressed to the nines in battle armor.</p>
<p>Loki huffed at the familiarity of the scene, but he could not deny the genius of his plot. It was sure to cause problems for both the infernal Avengers and the exceedingly infuriating Golden Realm. He smiled, a concerning hint of madness simmering under the surface of his facade, and his own battle armor shimmered into existence in a flurry of green smoke. He transported himself to the scene of the action, hiding in the shadows just in time to hear the cry of “For Asgard!” which resonated through the streets. </p>
<p>While most mortals had scurried off, endeavoring to find a new route to their destinations, a few foolish gawkers had remained. Nothing thrilled Loki like he whisperings of the people, their confusion as to why Asgardian soldiers were running amuck through their streets wreaking havoc. The disaster that followed in their wake was sure to cause weeks of painstaking labor for the mortals unlucky enough to be stuck with those duties. </p>
<p>It took a few minutes longer for the telltale hum of an incoming Iron Man armor to sound in Loki’s ears and he grinned. He had spent that time observing the fear swimming through the streets. He heard the cursing of the people sleeping in the buildings, saw them looking out their windows to determine the cause of the commotion, and evacuating their homes as quickly as their inferior minds could manage to come up with a plan of action. He had watched as a foolish Police officer attempted to bargain with the Asgardians by offering to bring them to their Prince Thor. And he had chortled madly as he watched the man get kicked by a stallion as a warrior echoed Loki’s laughter. “Who do you think brought us here, Mortal?” he boomed, “Prince Thor seeks to save you pathetic creatures from your feeble existence. He has entrusted us to bring peace to Midgard once and for all.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I’m not sure if I like that plan,” the electronic voice of the Iron Man yelled. The man had sped up as he saw the scene playing out, rushing to hover in front of the mortal.</p>
<p>The Asgardian roared at the sight of his prey scurrying away and let his spear fly straight at the man’s chest. The Iron Man caught it inches from the officer only to drop it a second later to stop a fist from denting his faceplate in. </p>
<p>“You dare to resist against Asgard?” he questioned, “We would raze this realm to the ground!”</p>
<p>“Ugh, okay, Erik Bloodaxe, tell you what. How about you leave Midgard to our conflicted ways, and we won’t tell the All-daddy you couldn’t take down a single city? Cause I can tell you right now, you’re not going to win. We beat you lot once before and we will do it again.”</p>
<p>“Have a care how you speak, mortal, lest you wish to meet Lady Death.”</p>
<p>He dodged the sword of a second warrior and flew up to get out of reach of a third. “I’m afraid that’s not happening, buddy. I’ve never been one to think before I speak.”</p>
<p>“Surrender to the almighty Asgard!” </p>
<p>The man effortlessly maneuvered his way through the battle, but Loki had expected nothing less. “Or what?” </p>
<p>“The All-Father would curse this realm with an eternity of death and disease. We will tear down every part of this pitiful planet!”</p>
<p>The amused snort that followed forced a minuscule smile onto Loki’s face. “Aw, man. Can I at least keep my lab? Does the All-Father listen to the complaints of commoners or no?”</p>
<p>This is why the Iron Man was the Avenger he least despised. He could always count on him to bring a little flavor to the fight. The man joked in battle. He laughed, and argued, and enjoyed the thrill. The thought of having to fight only the stoic soldiers that composed the rest of the Avengers leaves a bad taste in Loki’s mouth. After all, what is the point in mischief if he can get no enjoyment from it? </p>
<p>“Would you look at that,” the Iron Man comments, “we’ve got company.” </p>
<p>Loki looks up to the gray ship hovering in the sky. He remembers Thor once referring to the second-rate longboat as a ‘Quinjet’. He watches as a man, the Captain, jumps through the air to land mere meters away from Loki’s hiding place. “Iron Man?” he calls, voice strained, “What’ve you got so far?”</p>
<p>The same strain is apparent in the Iron Man’s robotic voice. It sounded as though he was holding back anger or gritting his teeth. “They seem to be Asgardian soldiers wanting to ‘bring peace to Earth’.” He goes quiet for a few seconds and then replies to a voice Loki can not hear. “I don’t know what you want me to say, Point Break. I don’t care if you think Asgard would never do that. You said the song was an Asgardian battle song and their battle cry is ‘For Asgard’. It sure seems like-” at this point, he pauses again, “Thor, buddy, I really could not care less what the All Daddy would or would not do. Get your ass over here and help fight them.”</p>
<p>The Captain’s shield continues knocking back soldiers and the man of Iron shoots them down with his suit. They’re fighting on different ends of the street, the distance between them not diminishing much. The two spies join the fray, picking off their fair share of enemies. They are both just as efficient as they have been in any previous fight, and only their annoyed facial expressions give away the fact that they were awoken from their slumber for this. It doesn’t take long for the green Beast and Thor to come in and Loki can not help but snicker at his bedhead. </p>
<p>The soldiers stopped their actions as soon as Thor flew in, his signature red cape billowing in the wind. The confusion on the Avengers’ faces at the unexpected halt of the battle just served to improve Loki’s mood. </p>
<p>“Prince Thor,” the warriors bowed low, “We come here to aid you in your mission.”</p>
<p>The Hulk roars and smashes a warrior into the ground. Thor and the rest stop in their motions. The Archer and the Widow watch the exchange like hawks searching for prey, trying to weed out the truth in the situation. </p>
<p>“What is this mission you speak of?” Thor commands.</p>
<p>The Asgardians look around, feigning confusion. “To take control of Earth, your highness,” they answer, their tone giving the impression that this is something Thor should know already.</p>
<p>“Thor?” the Captian asks.</p>
<p>“I have not a clue what they speak of! I swear it! Loki!” he bellows, “Is this another one of your tricks? It is not funny.”</p>
<p>Loki lets them simmer for a few moments, savoring the feeling of chaos. “Why I’m offended, brother,” he drawls, “must you always blame me for everything that goes awry in your life?” He sees the Iron Man’s shoulder sags, as if in relief. Interesting, he thinks, did the man perhaps fear the words of the Soldiers would have truth to them?</p>
<p>“Get rid of these illusions right away, Loki!” </p>
<p>“I have a better plan,” Loki says. He extends his hands, his seiðr eagerly shooting out of his fingertips. Before the Avengers can react, Thor’s shoes are stuck to the ground and vines are growing out of the ground to hold him in place. Invisible ropes wrap around his arms and torso leaving him unable to move his arms. </p>
<p>The Widow steps closer to Thor to free him, but the sudden movement from the soldiers has her redirecting her attention. They all spring to action immediately.</p>
<p>“Thor can take care of himself,” the captain calls out, “We should focus on the soldiers. Hawkeye, make sure no civilians are in immediate danger and get everyone away.”</p>
<p>“You’d think they’d know to leave the scene by now,” the archer grumbles as a response.</p>
<p>The captain continues talking, ignoring the Archer’s complaint. “The rest of us sh-”</p>
<p>“I’ve got Maleficent over here,” the Iron Man cuts in. The captain tries calling for him, but he blasts his way towards Loki. The warriors move out of his way, giving Loki a chance to have his own fun. </p>
<p>“Hello, Man of Iron,” Loki greets, his daggers appearing in his hands. </p>
<p>The man holds his arms out, his palms powering up for the shot, “Medusa.”</p>
<p>Loki throws his dagger first, a simple move meant to distract. “I must say, I’ve never been fond of your ridiculous nicknames.”</p>
<p>“That’s a shame. They’re kinda my thing, you know?” He falls for the trick just as Loki had intended, veering off to the left to dodge. The dagger turns in midair when Loki calls it back, and unknowingly, the Iron Man flies right back into its path.</p>
<p>“I’m sure we can come to an agreement.” The man fires twice at Loki and he has no choice but to jump back to get away from the third laser that barely manages to graze his cheek. Only, the move changes the course of the dagger which misses the armor. </p>
<p>“Sorry, dear. I’m not in the business of negotiating with people like you.” For just a second, the man looks over his shoulder in an attempt to determine where the dagger had come from. That is enough for Loki to get a hit in. His fist manages to dent the armor where the shoulder joint was. Iron Man grunts in pain but manages to recover in time to block the next hit to his elbow joint. They both circle each other, Loki with his graceful gait flowing like water and Tony floating above the ground covered in shiny armor.</p>
<p>“Not anymore, you mean,” Loki comments, “From what I hear, all that money you love to flaunt comes from the pockets of people just like me.” The comment angers the man if the increased aggressiveness of his attacks is to be believed. But Loki doesn’t miss the way the armor’s left arm rises only so high up and reacts far too slowly. </p>
<p>“When I said I don’t negotiate with people like you, I meant grown men throwing tantrums cause Daddy doesn’t love them.” Loki pauses for a moment to growl at him, and Tony takes the chance to blast him in the face with the highest power he could use without it being lethal. Loki grunts and falls back. </p>
<p>“I’m not the only one without a loving father. At least mine chose his true son over me. Yours chose the Captain over you. He picked a stranger he barely knew over the son he raised.” Iron Man advances towards him as Loki stands. </p>
<p>Tony’s repulsers shoot out an onslaught of lasers, only some of which manage to hit Loki. “And here we both are, Reindeer Games. Both on the same street, fighting the same battle. Except only one of us is on the right side, and the other is left to hide away only coming out to play when he’s desperate for attention from his big brother.” By the end of his rant, Loki is holding the side of his abdomen to stop the flow of deep red blood which slips through his fingers.</p>
<p>Loki hisses at him, his restrain flowing out of him along with the blood. His magic lashes out at the mortal, surrounding him in a cloud of smoke and seeping into his suit to leave bleeding gashes in its wake. “Right side? The Avengers only keep you around for your riches. They do not think you a superhero. To them, you are nothing but a source of income, and they know all they need to do to keep you tailing after them like a lost dog is offer you a few empty platitudes of heroism. You are not some hero. You are just too afraid to acknowledge the truth.”</p>
<p>By this point, both men were just trading blows, trying their hardest to stop the other from talking. The sounds of the battle became background noise. Neither held back, not in their blows and definitely not in their verbal attacks. </p>
<p>“Thor told me you fell off of Asgard, that space drove you crazy. What happened, Rock of Ages? Did you finally realize you’re not all that big and powerful? I bet you felt weak, huh. Just a small man, powerless, lost in a cold, dark void with no one coming to save him?” </p>
<p>Loki roared, veins throbbing in his forehead, his expression the definition of rage. The fake Æsir vanished without any fanfare and the Avengers all turned to the two at the end of the road. Thor had gotten free of his restraints and held Mjölnir high. He prepared to throw it, to capture Loki and end the fight, but he hesitated at the sight of his brother’s expression.</p>
<p>Loki’s next words were screamed at Tony, “Who do you think you are? Do you think you know everything, you pompous mortal? You do not know me, and you sure as Hel do not have any right to claim you do!”</p>
<p>“Sure sounds like I know enough cause I think I just hit the nail on the head.” While his voice carried with an electronic pitch, his own anger was enough to match Loki in intensity. Clearly, neither was about to give up the fight any time soon. </p>
<p>“Loki!” At Thor’s exclamation, Loki’s hatred-filled eyes jerked up to him. He looked ready to snap Tony’s neck and then slice off the head of anyone who tried to get in his way. His hair clung to his forehead, sweat drops rolling down his cheek. All in all, he looked like madness in itself. </p>
<p>As Loki looked around his surroundings, he noticed the absence of his warriors and the weapons of all the Avengers trained on him. For a moment, he debated risking his capture just to be able to teach the arrogant man in front of him a lesson. But he knew, no matter how difficult it seemed, he had to go. He had to leave the man to live another day.</p>
<p>That in no way meant he could not allow one last blow, so as he teleported himself to the relative safety of his dingy apartment, he let his seiðr lash out at the man. The man’s armored form hitting the ground was the last sight he saw. </p>
<p>The petty retaliation did nothing to satiate his appetite for revenge. He was still seething as he cleaned out his wounds, as he changed manually into more comfortable clothing, as he made himself food. He could feel his seiðr simmering just below the surface which was a rarity in itself because, at this point, it should be nearly exhausted.</p>
<p>He can not believe the sheer audacity of the mortal. How dare he assume he knows Loki’s pain. How dare he mock that pain, the pain which digs its claws so deep into him that some days, Loki is prepared to claw his heart out of his chest to stop it from hurting him further. The man will regret his words, Loki will make sure of it. </p>
<p>Rationally, Loki knows that the fall out of this battle would be damaging enough for the so-called <em>hero</em>. He knows that the things he has already set in motion will turn the public opinion against the Avengers and that it will all result in an insurmountable headache for the Man of Iron who had carelessly taken over Public Relations on behalf of the team of superheroes. He knows all this, and yet he can not help but want to hurt the man harder and deeper than he has ever been hurt before. He can not help but want to see that helpless fear, the incurable agony in the man’s eyes that Loki used to see in his damned mirror before he reduced it to jagged blood-filled cracks and missing pieces. He can not help but want Stark to be so intimately bound to pain that the absence of it will leave him feeling like a vacant shell without a soul. </p>
<p>He wants the Man of Iron’s demise to be at his hands, and he will make sure the man suffers before he slices his head clean off his shoulders. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Relatively Calm Before the Storm</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Tony, my job does not extend to managing the Avengers’ PR.” It’s not uncommon for the undertones of exasperation and irritation to present themselves in Pepper Pott’s voice. Especially not when Tony Stark is involved.</p>
<p>The man in question stops his pacing in front of her meticulously organized desk to run his hand through his hair as he is often prone to doing to dispel the nervous energy. “But Pep-” he starts, only to be interrupted when she puts her hand up to stop him.</p>
<p>“Don’t ‘But Pep’ me. You know how busy I am, Tony?” she stood up from her chair to walk towards him. “I have four meetings back to back starting in an hour, at least two of which are bound to run over time and throw off my entire schedule. I have to read and decide on the outcomes of 3 business proposals with large corporations that are going to take every chance they get to undermine us.” Here, he tries to interrupt, but she cuts him off right as he opens his mouth. “I have a lunch reservation with a client and a dinner with a group to try to convince them to invest in SI. And I have to supervise the hiring of two new scientists because we’ve discovered 4 employees involved in corporate espionage in the last few months.” She grabs a hold of his shoulders and gives him a minute shake, “So, please. Please. Spare me your superhero problems. I have enough on my plate trying to juggle a multibillion-dollar company with a bloodthirsty, sexist group of board members without adding aliens and supersoldiers to the mix.”</p>
<p>Tony sighed. He knew he couldn’t push her any more than he already has. Her stress was palpable and it spread through the room to the point where it felt suffocating even to him. “Okay,” he whispered.</p>
<p>“Okay,” she repeated, relieved. She leaned forward to rest her forehead against his shoulder like she’d done so many times before. His spine straightened at the contact, and he hesitated only a second before his arms snaked around her waist like he’d done so many times before. He squeezed her tight in his arms and buried his face into her hair like he’d done so many times before. Her arms reciprocated and he kissed the crown of her head like they’d done so many times before. They stood there, silently swaying, their eyes closed and their embrace impenetrable.</p>
<p>“I miss you,” he told her, a dim substitute for the impassioned ‘I love you’ they used to whisper into each other’s ears in the comfort of their warm bed, but with no less fondness and adoration in his voice.</p>
<p>He felt her nod from where she leaned against him. “Me too,” she mumbled. She moved back a bit to be able to look into his eyes, and he used the time to really take her in. Her hair was disheveled in a way it had never been before. Never at work anyway. Her eyes held the same sadness he knew his sported every time he looked at her and remembered how he would never have her again.  He ran his hand through her silky hair, his fingers forming a makeshift comb. He remembered the time he’d done the same thing while they watched the Hobbitt and ended up falling asleep on the couch. He had no doubt she was remembering the same events because he could see her eyes awash with sadness when she registered what he was doing. She smiled nonetheless and reached over to run her hands through his hair to straighten it out in the same manner. </p>
<p>As for the Board, well, he could offer a bit of help in that department, some information from back in the day when he had to deal with them himself. “Brandon Calloway had an affair a while back,” he started, pulling away completely so they could talk face to face, “With someone that, should the public find out, would be very bad for the company. The last thing he wants is the Board knowing about it. He knows they’d boot him before he could even attempt to lie about it. If you could work the name Velma and Palm Springs into a conversation, he’ll back off.” Pepper smiled gratefully at him. “And Johnson has a thing for being dominated, so if you come off like that more, he’ll practically do what you say.”</p>
<p>“I don’t even want to know why you know that,” she snickered.</p>
<p>He winked, “I don’t kiss and tell.”</p>
<p>Her eyes widened. “Tony, please tell me you’re joking,” she begged, “Tell me I didn’t sleep with the same guy Johnson did.”</p>
<p>Tony just laughed and turned away to leave Pepper to her work. “I’m joking. I’m joking.”</p>
<p>Just as he was about to exit the office, he heard Pepper whisper a relieved ‘thank you’ and smiled to himself. He got as far as her secretary’s desk before he remembered he had no clue what his lawyer’s name or number was. For the past two decades, he’d had either JARVIS or Pepper do this stuff for him, but neither were there anymore. Reasonably, he knew if he asked FRIDAY, she would be able to search JARVIS’ records and give him everything on the lawyer, even down to her favorite coffee, but he figured since he was here, he may as well ask Pepper. Save Friday the trouble and save himself of listening to FRI reiterate JARVIS’ notes.</p>
<p>“Hey, Pep?” he asked, sticking his head into her office sheepishly. When Pepper hummed in acknowledgment without looking up from her documents, he called her again until she looked over. “What’s my lawyer’s number?”</p>
<p>“Rebecca Smith is your lawyer. She’s downstairs in Legal. But Tony, if this is about the Thor thing, you know according to the Accords agreement, you all are supposed to have PR reps at the ready for this kind of situation.”</p>
<p>“I know,” he shrugged, “But I trust someone you hired more than whoever it is they’re gonna stick him with.”</p>
<p>“I think he’ll be fine. You go home and get some rest. I’m 99% sure you haven’t slept since last night’s attack.”<br/>Back at the tower, Tony isn’t surprised to see masses of people protesting, holding signs calling the Avenger’s traitors and demanding Thor be returned to his own planet. He also isn’t phased when he runs into a distressed Thor pacing in front of the TV. There’s an angry, old guy on the screen screaming about aliens trying to take over the planet and the Deep State harboring criminals. He hears his own name mentioned and raises an unimpressed eyebrow when he’s accused of selling his soul to the Asgardians to gain more wealth. The segment was clearly meant to scare people and contribute to the chaos to increase their ratings, but Tony can see Thor worry more the longer the man goes on about him secretly working with Loki to conquer Earth.</p>
<p>Natasha and Sam are sitting on the couch, their eyes shifting from Thor to the TV. “Thor,” Natasha calls out, her voice purposefully soft and calming, “He’s just trying to rile people up. We need to sit down and discuss how to deal with this.”</p>
<p>A frustrated Thor sets his hammer down onto a shelf and shouts in anger when the force brings the plants on the shelf hurtling to the ground. He looks ready to tear down anyone in his path as he stares at the cracked bits of the potted plants coving the ground around his boots. </p>
<p>Tony stands in the doorway and watches warily as Thor visibly pulls himself together and pushes back the anger that is no doubt still plaguing his mind. He tracks his stiff movements until he is standing in front of the couch, an immovable frown marring his typically cheery demeanor. </p>
<p>Knowing the situation is unavoidable, Tony pulls back his shoulders and prepares for the headache ahead. He struts into the room as he’d always done. Before Iron Man, before aliens and supersoldiers, before when tentative friendships offered a brighter outlook on the Avengers Initiative. He’s got his red sunglasses on and his Holier-than-thou attitude wrapped around him like an impenetrable amour. “Tell you what, Goldilocks,” he grins to broadcast the confidence he still wears with pride, “Your brother sure knows how to create mayhem.” He slips into the kitchen to grab a pack of dried blueberries and ignores the man by the stove. Bruce enters the room from the hallway Tony had just been in, and for a moment, Tony wonders if he had been waiting for him to enter first. </p>
<p>“Indeed he does, Friend Stark,” Thor replies bitterly, “He has had centuries to practice.” </p>
<p>Sam pipes in, “Unfortunately for us, we don’t have that long to fix this.”</p>
<p>“The longer the public goes on assuming Asgard sent those soldiers to attack Earth and that Thor didn’t stop them, the harder it’s going to be to get the record straight,” Natasha pointed out.</p>
<p>“They were not real soldiers!” Thor exclaimed defensively. </p>
<p>Steve intervenes before Thor could get angrier. “We know they weren’t, Thor. But you have to admit, the video does look pretty damning.”</p>
<p>The video in question was currently trending on Twitter after an anonymous account posted it following the fight the night before. In the video, the Asgardians are bowing to Thor, calling him their Majesty, and claiming that Odin sent them to help Thor take control of Earth. While the Avengers are seen fighting them, there is no trace of Loki or Tony in the frame. The video was clearly edited to make it look as though Thor was just standing around watching the fight instead of fighting his way through his invisible bonds to join the fray. The video doesn’t show the vines that were holding Thor down.</p>
<p>Tony, who was still seething from the comments Loki made during the fight, refused to admit the brilliance of the plan. Making the public turn on Thor, a guy who thrived off of the praise and adoration of the people, would be a much more effective blow than any Loki could manage to land himself. And as an added bonus, it made the Avengers seem just as bad for giving the man food and shelter despite the fact that they fought against the Asgardian illusions. </p>
<p>“Don’t worry, buddy,” Tony smirks, “All you need is some good PR, and everyone will forget the video in no time.” He would know. He’s been down this path more times than he can remember. Then, just to see the disappointed look on Steve’s face, he adds “Or, if that doesn’t work, you can always try my favorite trick. Just do something even worse, and they’ll move on to discussing that instead. I recommend filming a sex tape.”</p>
<p>He can see a small, amused smile on Natasha. Sam laughs and Steve stares at him, exasperated. It only serves to make Tony smugger. </p>
<p>Bruce clears his throat awkwardly and mutters, “Speaking of PR, the accord committee just sent in their PR team. They’re waiting in the conference room.”</p>
<p>The tension in the room escalates and Tony rolls his eyes to stop them from wandering over to someone he’d rather ignore. “Wonderful,” he grits out. “Have fun with that.” he walks in the direction of his bedroom, his gait unwavering despite the considerable effort he has to put in to be able to turn his back to the others.</p>
<p>“Tony,” Steve calls out, “You need to come with us. You have more experience in this than the rest of us.” His comment goes unacknowledged.</p>
<p>“Let me know how it goes, yeah?” He directs his comment to Thor before ducking out of sight. He briefly hears Natasha direct FRIDAY to call Clint before he’s out of hearing distance.</p>
<p>He changes direction and heads over to the Workshop as soon as he’s far enough. He ignores the throbbing of his head and clutches the blueberries tighter in his fist. He ignores the angry stinging behind his eyes and walks just a bit quicker. He’s not fleeing, he reminds himself. He can spend the next four hours with his lab on lockdown and his hands deep in the engines of an antique car.</p>
<p>And that is what he does. He downs out his memories with the roar of the engines. He drowns out Loki’s words with the screaming music that’ll hopefully make him go deaf one day. He drowns out FRIDAYS calls with a mumbled ‘mute’. He fixes and improves things that need no changing. He creates a small miracle that he then smashes with a hammer for no reason at all. He watches the press conference where they clarify that the video was doctored and the soldiers weren’t real people. He watches Thor and Steve’s shiny hair glow like a halo in the sun while they stand surrounded by the Avengers, the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, and he understands the bitterness Loki feels.</p>
<p>Hours later, when the anger and despair are no longer sufficient sources of energy, he unmutes FRIDAY, a reluctant apology on his lips. “You have eight messages from Ms. Romanoff and four from the Captian. Would you like me to relay them to you?” she asks, her voice harboring a bit of anger that lets him know his apology was not accepted. </p>
<p>“Are they all asking me to be there for the press conference that happened hours ago?”</p>
<p>“Most are, yes. A few were to make sure you were alright when you did not reply to the first nine messages and failed to show up.”</p>
<p>He nods and waves away the screen showcasing the texts. He stretches, hearing the crack in his lower back signaling his dwindling life span, and sighs. “Is there anyone in the kitchen?”</p>
<p>“Ms. Romanoff is currently there. I would offer to notify you as soon as she leaves, but who knows. I may be muted again.”</p>
<p>“Okay, okay. You made your point. I’m sorry for that.” When there is no answer forthcoming, he doubles down, a mistake he regrets as soon as the words are out of his mouth. “What was I supposed to do? You wouldn’t stop talking about those stupid messages!”</p>
<p>“I do not believe I’ve ever heard an apology so sincere. Thank you, Boss. It is nice to know me doing what you created me to do is such a burden on you.”</p>
<p>With his head in his hands, Tony groans. “You know that’s not what I meant.” FRIDAY is silent, and Tony knows if he were to call her name she would be compelled to answer. Her code would not allow her to ignore him, but he also knew that doing so would only exacerbate her frustration. A part of him, one not weighed down by recent events, not tainted with the paranoia that came with having previously created a mass murderer for a robot, is proud. Like a father confronting his child’s growth, just now realizing that the person he nurtured is no longer a small, vulnerable kid in a too-big world. FRIDAY’s anger, her defensive sarcasm, her determination to ignoring someone who upset her, all actions so damn <em>human</em> that he couldn’t help but smile. “What’s it gonna take, huh? To get you to forgive me?”</p>
<p>She ignores him the rest of the day. </p>
<p>Tony decides to go get himself some more coffee. On his way out, he calls out for FRIDAY to order a new coffee maker, knowing it would be waiting for him in front of the lab the next time he needed caffeine. </p>
<p>In the kitchen, Natasha only glanced his way once before she returned to whatever she was cooking. She swayed around a bit to music playing out of her phone, effortless and graceful as she always had been. It was really a shame Tony had lived with her long enough to know it was more so to keep him in her periphery without making it too obvious.</p>
<p>“You can stop that,” he muttered, bitterness obvious in his tone even for people who weren’t master spies, “I’m not really in the business of stabbing people in the back.”</p>
<p>“It wouldn’t be a stab in the back if it’s expected. So I guess you do have a point,” she replied calmly. </p>
<p>Tony snorted, “So what you did, should I have expected that? Or does that pass the test? No wait, don’t answer that. I already know the answer.”</p>
<p>“Which is?”</p>
<p>“That I was stupid to trust a ruthless assassin.”</p>
<p>“You may find this extremely difficult to believe, Stark, but not everything is about you. I made a decision using my best judgment, and I stand by it. Just because you didn’t agree doesn’t mean I betrayed you or stabbed you in the back or whatever you’ve been thinking.”</p>
<p>“I am so damn tired of you all raving about my ego and acting like I’m too stupid to think of anything but myself. Every single one of you, from Thor to Steve to Wanda, is just as cocky as I am. And you, Natalia, you may do a better job at covering it than the rest of us, but are you really going to stand here and tell me you don’t think way too highly of yourself? I see it you know, the smugness in your gaze every time someone strokes your ego, the knowing little smirk that you give us when you think we’re too dumb to match up to your spy skills. You may have Steve wrapped around your finger but unfortunately for you, I’m a paranoid bastard.” By now both of them are facing each other. Natasha has an unimpressed eyebrow raised. Looking a little closer though, he could see her hand inching towards her left hip where she no doubt had a weapon hidden away. Maybe she felt threatened or maybe she could sense that this conversation was going to end in fists flying if someone didn’t back off. But frankly, Tony could not have cared less.</p>
<p>“Steve trusts me. I won’t deny that I have manipulated him many times, but he trusts me. That’s not something I’ve had a lot in my life. So yes, I trusted him to make the right decision regarding the Accords. And I don’t regret it.”</p>
<p>“Oh please. That little tidbit of information with the false vulnerability sprinkled in, classic manipulation technique. C’mon Nat, you’re losing your touch. And we both know that fight was not about the Accords. If it was, he would’ve stayed and shouted out his disappointment until someone bent their knees to the will of the great Captain America. This was always about Barnes.”</p>
<p>She shrugged, “Maybe it was, maybe it wasn’t. No use in crying over spilled milk, now.”</p>
<p>Tony picked up his coffee mugs, choosing to chug one then and there to ensure he had a free hand just in case and headed back to the Lab. He kept Natasha in his peripheral and paused in the doorway to remark, “I guess keeping my parent’s murder a secret wasn’t a stab in the back either, right? I should’ve seen that coming.”</p>
<p>Then Tony returned to his shop where he could collapse to the ground and laugh and laugh until the laughter became a single tear sliding down his cheek and he had to choke back a sob. FRIDAY still didn’t say a word. </p>
<p>That night, Tony closed down his tabs at a reasonable time and walked past his new coffee machine to the elevator. There was no point. He could work until his fingers bled but he would still be stuck between these four walls, knowing there was no one waiting outside. He felt the walls closing in on him, depleting the oxygen in the air and suffocating him.</p>
<p>He rode the elevator up to his room, a desolate, impersonal suite where he rarely stayed.</p>
<p>There’s a note waiting on his table, Bruce’s rushed handwriting clearly discernible. <em>‘Hey Tony,’</em> it read, <em>‘Can we talk when you have time? You didn’t come to the meeting today. The Accords coordinators felt as though you may be in danger. They saw footage of you and Loki fighting, and they think he’ll come after you. He seemed really angry, Tony. We should err on the side of caution and get you a bodyguard or something.’</em></p>
<p>At this moment, Tony felt tired. He felt a heavy weight pressing down on his shoulders, and he just wanted to ignore everything. He wanted to forget about Loki and the Avengers and Iron Man. He wanted to forget who he was. He crumpled up the note and tossed it into an empty trash can. He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palm, to fight the urge to drink himself into unconsciousness. </p>
<p>He lays back on his bed, falling into a fitful sleep, interrupted only hours later by the very real knife pressing into his neck. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I don't have a good track record with finishing my fics, but I just couldn't get this idea out of my head so you get to suffer with me.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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